MDV-SEIA Membership Elects Six to Board of Directors

MDV-SEIA Membership Elects Six to Board of Directors

MDV-SEIA is proud to announce the election of six members to our Board of Directors. MDV-SEIA’s Board Leadership is made up of 17 individuals, who support the Association’s work and provide mission-based leadership and strategic governance. For over three decades, Board leadership has been central to the association’s mission of addressing key policy and regulatory priorities, engaging diverse stakeholders, and leveraging resources to tackle the industry’s greatest challenges.

We are confident in these newly elected members’ ability to carry out member priorities and lead the association through the next phase of solar industry development.

To find out how you can support MDV-SEIA by becoming a member, click here.

Meet the elected Board members:

Shelley Cohen

CEO, Alpha Solar Group

Shelley Cohen is Co-CEO of Alpha Solar Group. She brings to Alpha Solar Group 17 years of hands on renewable energy and energy efficiency project development experience. Shelley is a respected solar industry professional, who has developed close to 20 MWs of renewable energy, including solar projects in DE and DC while working as a Senior Project Developer at Ameresco. She has an expertise working with clients to assess needs, design project options, and bring projects on-line. Prior to working at Ameresco, she worked for the EPA promoting renewable energy, at the White House on sustainable development, and on Capitol Hill. She currently serves on the boards of MDV-SEIA, NWF, and was recently accepted as one of the 2015 recipients of the Women’s Leadership Fellow at the Impact Center. Shelley has a 12kw solar system on her home, and regularly gives tours and provides information on solar. She spends as much of her free time as possible, out doors, with her family.

Ed Merrick

Policy and Government Relations, Trinity Solar

Ed has been working in the energy industry for nearly 25 years, 16 of which have been spent in the solar electric industry. In his current role, he is leading Trinity Solar’s expansion efforts in the Mid-Atlantic region. With a background at PV manufacturing pioneer BP Solar, as well as one of the nation’s leading solar providers, Trinity Solar, Ed has held various roles throughout the solar value chain in sales, marketing, operations and government affairs. Ed is well-versed in project finance, marketing strategy, offer development, and incentive rate design for both residential and commercial-sized systems.

Over the years, Ed has participated in various lobbying efforts in Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. Prior to the merger of the Solar Alliance with SEIA, Ed was an active leader in the group focusing on East Coast legislative and regulatory affairs. In 2009, Ed led the Solar Alliance’s intervention in PSE&G’s “Solar 4 All” petition to the New Jersey Board of Public Affairs and participated as a key member, providing analysis and testimony, in support of and passage of New Jersey’s Solar Act of 2012.

Ed holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree from Vanderbilt University and a Master of Business Administration from the Robert H. Smith School of Business, University of Maryland. He also is a registered professional environmental engineer (inactive) and holds a Maryland Home Improvement Contractor’s License.

Ethan Case

Policy Manager, Cypress Creek Renewables

Ethan Case is a Policy Manager for Cypress Creek Renewables where he covers policy and market developments for the PJM region. Prior to joining Cypress Creek, Ethan maintained the US Department of Energy’s DSIRE database at the NC Clean Energy Technology Center at NC State University. While at NC State, Ethan was a co-author on several solar policy reports, including the Fifty States of Solar. He current serves on the boards of the Solar Research Institute, the Virginia Solar Workforce Development Initiative, and the North Carolina Business Council. He holds a bachelors degrees from Davidson College and a Masters of Environmental Management with a focus on energy systems from Duke University

Michael Healy

CEO, New Columbia Solar

Mike Healy is the CEO of New Columbia Solar, a District of Columbia based solar company whose mission is to make it as easy as humanly possible for DC residents and businesses to benefit from solar energy.

He’s been a fervent leader in developing solar policy across the Mid-Atlantic region, having been influential in the development, design and advocacy of the District of Columbia and Maryland RPS programs. He is also an experienced entrepreneur and business strategist who has played a key role in starting three successful energy companies. Prior to launching New Columbia Solar, he served as the founder and partner at Nextility Inc. and ConnectDER, inc.

Mike has been instrumental in developing business growth strategies from start-up level to maturity, including originating more than 30 successful partnerships within the private and public sectors. He has a proven track record of developing a long-term strategy, implementing the tactics to maintain and execute that strategy, and delivering results.

Previously, Mike served as Treasurer on the Board of Directors of SEIA and as Vice President and Policy Chair at MDV-SEIA. He is a long-time D.C. resident who resides in the District’s H street corridor with his wife, Kelly and their two sons, Jack and Liam.

Brad Nowak

Energy Partner, Williams Mullen

Brad Nowak is an energy partner with the law firm of Williams Mullen, where he is Co-Chair of Williams Mullen’s Energy and Solar Practice Groups. He concentrates his energy practice on representing developers, investors and owners on the finance, development, construction, operation, purchase and sale of renewable energy facilities, with particular focus on the development of utility-scale and distributed generation solar projects throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast U.S.

Brad has represented solar developers on significant transactions, including the construction and sale of over 25 solar projects to major public utilities. He has experience drafting and negotiating and/or advising energy clients on issues regarding project development, including interconnection arrangements, PPAs, EPC agreements, O&M agreements, supply agreements, and purchase and sale agreements. He also represents energy clients on matters concerning FERC and state regulatory commissions. Brad regularly stays abreast of legislation, regulatory rulings and other developments affecting the solar industry.

Brad earned his Juris Doctor degree from Wake Forest University School of Law, and his Bachelor of Science degree, summa cum laude, from the State University of New York at Buffalo. He is a member of the bars of Virginia, New York and Washington, DC.

Jennifer Spinosi

Vice President of Regulatory and Compliance, CleanChoice Energy

Jennifer Spinosi is the Vice President of Regulatory and Compliance at CleanChoice Energy, a Washington, DC based renewable energy company that empowers residential and commercial customers to choose 100% renewable retail electricity and community solar products and services. She engages external stakeholders to expand customers’ access to renewable energy and ensures company compliance with federal, state, and local laws and regulations. Previously, Jennifer worked for Direct Energy and was responsible for the development and implementation of legislative and regulatory strategies to support the company’s solar growth agenda. Her background in restructured (energy choice) markets gives her a unique perspective on renewable energy policy. Jennifer is on the Board of Directors for the Coalition for Community Solar Access (“CCSA”) and has served on the Board of MDV-SEIA since May 2016. Jennifer has Bachelor’s degrees in Psychology and Philosophy from The Ohio State University and a J.D. with a concentration in environmental and energy law from Capital University Law School. She lives in Columbus, Ohio and is an avid gardener and food preservationist.